The Lower Mainland is a name commonly applied to the region surrounding the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Vancouver (vænˈkuːvɚ is a coastal British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page In 2007, 2,524,113 people live in the region; sixteen of the province's thirty most populous municipalities are located there. [1]
While the term Lower Mainland has been recorded from the earliest period of non-native settlement in British Columbia, it has never been officially defined in legal terms. However, the term has historically been in popular usage for over a century to describe a region that extends from Horseshoe Bay south to the U. Horseshoe Bay is a West Vancouver community of about 1000 permanent residents S. boundary and east to Hope at the eastern end of the Fraser Valley. Hope is a District municipality with a population of 6185 located at the confluence of the Fraser and Coquihalla rivers in the province of British Fraser Valley is the section of the Fraser River basin in southwestern British Columbia downstream of the Fraser Canyon. [2] It has been increasingly used to include the commuter suburbs of the Sunshine Coast (Gibsons, Sechelt, Roberts Creek, etc. The Sunshine Coast is a region of the southern mainland coast of British Columbia, on the eastern shore of the Strait of Georgia, and just northwest of ) extending to Powell River, British Columbia (see next section). Powell River is a city on the south mainland coast of British Columbia, Canada.
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Lower Mainland Ecoregion
"Lower Mainland" is also the name of an ecoregion — a biogeoclimatic region — that comprises the eastern part of the Georgia Depression and extends from Powell River, British Columbia on the Sunshine Coast to Hope at the eastern end of the Fraser Valley. The Lower Mainland Ecoregion is the name of a biogeoclimatic region that surrounds Vancouver, British Columbia, comprising the eastern edge of the Georgia Depression An ecoregion ( ecological region) sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area smaller than a "realm" or " The Salish Sea is claimed to be the traditional name used by first nations peoples for the inland Waterway stretching from Tumwater, Washington to before Powell River is a city on the south mainland coast of British Columbia, Canada. The Sunshine Coast is a region of the southern mainland coast of British Columbia, on the eastern shore of the Strait of Georgia, and just northwest of Hope is a District municipality with a population of 6185 located at the confluence of the Fraser and Coquihalla rivers in the province of British Fraser Valley is the section of the Fraser River basin in southwestern British Columbia downstream of the Fraser Canyon. The Lower Mainland Ecoregion is a part of the Pacific Maritime Ecozone [3] The provincial Ministry of Environment bases its Lower Mainland Region on this ecoregion, rather than on the traditional Lower Mainland alone.
Regional Districts and First Nations territories
Today, the Lower Mainland includes two Regional Districts: Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD). The Canadian Province of British Columbia is divided into regional districts. Metro Vancouver, legally the Greater Vancouver Regional District, is the inter-municipal body or regional district, charged with certain aspects The Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD is a Regional district in British Columbia, Canada.
Metro Vancouver is made up of 21 municipalities (see below, Communities in the Lower Mainland). The Lower Mainland is a name commonly applied to the region surrounding Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Metro Vancouver is bordered on the west by the Strait of Georgia, to the north by the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, on the east by the Fraser Valley Regional District, and to the south by Whatcom County, Washington in the United States. The Strait of Georgia or the Georgia Strait (also known as the Gulf of Georgia) is a Strait between Vancouver Island (as well as its nearby The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The traditional territories of the Musqueam and Tsleil'waututh lie completely within the Metro area; the southern portion of Squamish First Nation traditional territory is also in the Metro area — its claims overlap those of the Tsleil-waututh and Musqueam (and also, therefore, the Sto:lo). The Musqueam Indian Band is a First Nations government in the Canadian province of British Columbia, and is the only Indian band whose reserve lies within The Tsleil-Waututh First Nation, also known as the Burrard Indian Band or Burrard Band, is a First Nations government in the Canadian Province (For details of the Indigenous culture history and society see Sḵwxwú7mesh) The Squamish Nation is an Indian Act
The Fraser Valley Regional District lies east of Metro Vancouver, comprises the cities of Abbotsford and Chilliwack, the districts of Mission, Kent, and Hope, and the village of Harrison Hot Springs. Abbotsford ( is a Canadian city in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia, adjacent to Metro Vancouver. Chilliwack is a Canadian city in the Province of British Columbia. Mission is a Canadian district municipality, in the province of British Columbia and is situated on the north bank of the Fraser River overlooking the Agassiz is a small community located in British Columbia 's Fraser Valley. Hope is a District municipality with a population of 6185 located at the confluence of the Fraser and Coquihalla rivers in the province of British The Village of Harrison Hot Springs is a small community at the southern end of Harrison Lake in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia. It also includes a series of electoral areas throughout the Fraser Valley and along the west side of the Fraser Canyon. fountaincanyon10jpg|thumb|400px|right|View of Fraser Canyon looking upstream from Fountain British Columbia The traditional territory of the Sto:lo First Nation is partly within this regional district, as is the entirety of the Chehalis First Nation. The Sts'Ailes are a First Nations people in the Lower Mainland of the Canadian province of British Columbia. Sto:lo traditional territory more or less exactly coincides with the traditional conception of the Lower Mainland, except for their inclusion of Port Douglas, at the head of Harrison Lake which is in In-SHUCK-ch territory. Port Douglas, sometimes referred to simply as Douglas, is a remote community in British Columbia, Canada at the head of Harrison Lake, which The In-SHUCK-ch Nation are a small First Nations Tribal Council on the lower Lillooet River south of Pemberton - Mount Currie in the
Population
In 2007 there were 2,524,113 people[4] living in the communities of the Lower Mainland, of whom:
- 274,388 lived in the Fraser Valley Regional District
- 2,249,725 lived in the Greater Vancouver Regional District (since renamed to Metro Vancouver)[5]
The population in the Lower Mainland was up 10. The Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD is a Regional district in British Columbia, Canada. Metro Vancouver, legally the Greater Vancouver Regional District, is the inter-municipal body or regional district, charged with certain aspects Metro Vancouver, legally the Greater Vancouver Regional District, is the inter-municipal body or regional district, charged with certain aspects 4% from the 2000 Census figures. This is among the highest in the continent. For the population of the cities within Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley Regional District, see the individual articles for those two regions. Metro Vancouver, legally the Greater Vancouver Regional District, is the inter-municipal body or regional district, charged with certain aspects The Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD is a Regional district in British Columbia, Canada.
Natural threats
Flooding
The Lower Mainland is considered to have a high vulnerability to flood risk. A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land a deluge There have been two major floods, the largest in 1894 and the second largest in 1948. According to the Fraser Basin Council, scientists predict a one-in-three chance of a similar-sized flood occurring in the next 50 years. [6]
In the Spring of 2007, the Lower Mainland was on high alert for flooding. Higher than normal snow packs in the BC interior prompted the municipal governments to start emergency measures in the region. The British Columbia Interior or BC Interior or Interior of British Columbia, usually referred to only as The Interior, is one of the three main regions Dikes along the Fraser River are regulated to handle about 8. LeveeEmbankmentDitch A dike (or dyke) levee, levée, embankment, floodbank or stopbank is a natural or artificial For other uses of this name see Fraser River (disambiguation. 5 metres in height, but warmer than normal weather in the interior caused large amounts of snow to melt prematurely, resulting in higher than normal water levels. [7]
Flooding can cover much of the Lower Mainland. Cloverdale, Barnston Island, Low-lying areas of Maple Ridge, west of Hope, White Rock, Richmond, parts of Vancouver and parts of Surrey are potentially at risk. In 2007, the Lower Mainland was largely spared, although northern regions of the province, along the Skeena and Nechako Rivers experienced floods. The flood risk was highest during the June 8-11 period. Climate scientists predict that increasing temperatures will mean wetter winters and more snow at the high elevations. Climatology (from Greek grc κλίμα klima, "region zone" and grc -λογία -logia) is the study of Climate, scientifically This will increase the likelihood of snowmelt floods. [8]
The provincial government maintains an Integrated Flood Hazard Management program and an extensive flood protection infrastructure in the Lower Mainland. The infrastructure consists of dikes, pump stations, floodboxes, riprap and relief wells[9]
Earthquakes
While earthquakes are common in British Columbia and adjacent coastal waters, most are minor in energy release or are sufficiently remote to have little effect on populated areas. Pumping stations are facilities including Pumps and equipment for pumping fluids from one place to another Riprap — also known as rip rap, rubble, shot rock or rock armour — is rock or other material used to armor Nevertheless, earthquakes with a magnitude of up to 7. 3 have occurred within 150 km of the lower mainland.
Based on geological evidence, however, the possibility of earthquakes with a more massive release of energy is a generally accepted possibility. Such massive earthquakes appear to have occurred at approximately 600-year intervals. Thus there is a probability that there will be a major earthquake within the next 200 years within the region. [10]
In April 2008, the United States Geological Survey released information concerning a newly-found fault line south of downtown Abbotsford, called the Boulder Creek fault. The United States Geological Survey ( USGS) is a scientific agency of the United States government. Abbotsford ( is a Canadian city in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia, adjacent to Metro Vancouver. Scientists now believe this fault line is active and capable of producing earthquakes in the 6. 8 Richter scale range. The Richter magnitude scale, or more correctly local magnitude M L scale assigns a single number to quantify the amount of seismic energy released [11]
Communities in the Lower Mainland
References
- ^ Municipal Population Estimates 2007. The Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD is a Regional district in British Columbia, Canada. Abbotsford ( is a Canadian city in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia, adjacent to Metro Vancouver. Chilliwack is a Canadian city in the Province of British Columbia. The District of Kent is a district municipality located 116 kilometres (72 miles east of Vancouver, British Columbia. Mission is a Canadian district municipality, in the province of British Columbia and is situated on the north bank of the Fraser River overlooking the Metro Vancouver, legally the Greater Vancouver Regional District, is the inter-municipal body or regional district, charged with certain aspects Belcarra British Columbia, is a small community on the shore of Indian Arm, a side inlet of Burrard Inlet, and is part of the Greater Vancouver Bowen Island, British Columbia, is an Island municipality in Howe Sound, and within Metro Vancouver. Coquitlam (koʊˈkwɪtləm is a city in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Delta is a district municipality in British Columbia, and forms part of Metro Vancouver. The City of Langley is a municipality in Greater Vancouver. It lies directly east of the municipality of Surrey. The Township of Langley is a District municipality east of Surrey, located south of the Fraser River in Metro Vancouver, legally the Greater Vancouver Regional District, is the inter-municipal body or regional district, charged with certain aspects Lions Bay is a village located north of Vancouver British Columbia, on Highway 99. Maple Ridge is a District Municipality in British Columbia, located east of Vancouver on the Fraser River This page is about the two distinct British Columbia municipalities that use the name and are often jointly referred to as "North Vancouver" The District of North Vancouver is a district municipality in British Columbia and is part of the GVRD. Port Moody British Columbia is a small crescent-shaped city in Metro Vancouver, located at the east end of Burrard Inlet in British Columbia, Canada Richmond (ˈrɪtʃmənd}} is an incorporated city on the Pacific coast of the Canadian province of British Surrey is a Canadian city in the Province of British Columbia that lies within the Metro Vancouver Vancouver (vænˈkuːvɚ is a coastal The City of White Rock borders Semiahmoo Province of British Columbia Statistics Canada. Retrieved on 2007-12-01. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 800 - Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican
- ^ Gentilcore, R. L. , ed. 1993. Historical Atlas of Canada, Vol II, The Land Transformed 1800-1891. Plate 36, "Lower Mainland 1881. " Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN 0-8020-3447-0.
- ^ Environment Canada "Narrative Descriptions of Terrestrial Ecozones and Ecoregions of Canada". Accessed 2006-06-08.
- ^ Municipal Population Estimates 2007. Province of British Columbia Statistics Canada. Retrieved on 2007-12-01. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 800 - Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican
- ^ Municipal Population Estimates 2007. Province of British Columbia Statistics Canada. Retrieved on 2007-12-01. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 800 - Charlemagne judges the accusations against Pope Leo III in the Vatican
- ^ Flood Hazard Management on the Fraser River. Fraser Basin Council. Retrieved on 2007-06-24. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place
- ^ "Fraser Valley prepares for possible flooding", CBC News, 2007-06-05. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 70 - Titus and his Roman Legions breach the middle wall of Jerusalem in the Siege of Jerusalem Retrieved on 2007-06-24. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place
- ^ Drake, Laura. "Flooding in future may be more frequent, scientists say", Globe and Mail, 2007-06-16. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1487 - Battle of Stoke Field, the last dying breath of the Wars of the Roses. Retrieved on 2007-06-24. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place
- ^ Ministry of Environment. Lower Mainland Dike and Emergency Maps. Retrieved on 2007-06-24. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place
- ^ British Columbia. Provincial Emergency Program. (1999). British Columbia Earthquake Response Plan, Appendix 2-The Earthquake Threat. ISBN: 0-7726-3924-8. Retrieved on: April 7, 2008. Events 529 - First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis (a fundamental work in Jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common
- ^ McClatchy Washington Bureau. Earthquake risk. Retrieved on 2009-05-12.
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